aardvark means the nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing mammal Orycteropus afer, of the order Tubulidentata and somewhat resembling a pig. Common in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 72 out of 100.
aardvark is pronounced /ˈɑːd.vɑːk/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Afrikaans aardvark (now rare), erdvark, from aarde (“earth”, from Middle Dutch aerde) + vark (“pig”, from Middle Dutch varken). Early European colonists in South Africa noticed that the animal was similar to a pig, while aarde hints at the animal's habit of burrowing.
noun
- The nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing mammal Orycteropus afer, of the order Tubulidentata and somewhat resembling a pig. Common in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa.“The aardvark burrows in the ground and feeds mostly on termites, which it catches with its long, slimy tongue.”